The Bus Driver
by Lobs-StAcEy-Ters
Summary: Have you ever wondered why Hiei was so fast? Why he was so cold? Why was he so strong? In this ALTERNATE UNIVERSE, Hiei learns the lessons of life, the hard way.


**The Bus Driver Chapter One**

**Please tell me what you think of this fic... This fic's main character is Hiei... that's it. I don't own Escaflowne. Enjoy!**

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It all started...because of a bus driver.

**Flashback: Viewer's POV**

It was Hiei's first day of first grade. His foster parents waved as he entered the bus. He watched the doors close and saw a very fat and ugly bus driver. The first thing she said to him when he got on was, "What you? Some little punk? I ain't drivin' you without a toll. Give me yo money."

Hiei frowned. He never met such a type of person before. His mother was nice to him, always. Then he remembered. Before she kissed him goodbye, she gave him a green piece of paper that she tucked into his shirt pocket. The bus driver lady spotted it.

She snatched it immediately. "Go on ahead, sweet little boy. Sit over there." She pointed to a brown seat right behind her seats.

Hiei frowned even more. **His** mommy had given that to him. Why should he let her have it? He immediately bit her outstretched finger which earned him a "YOOOOOW! YOU IMBECILE!" and a slap.

Hiei fell onto his bottom. His eyes were red, but he had decided not to cry. Not to THAT kind of person. That lady wanted to see him cry. He wasn't going to though. He wobbled up and toward the back of the bus. All the seats were full except for the one directly behind the bus driver's seat, which would be somewhere he wouldn't want to go.

He stopped at one seat and saw a girl that looked nice. "Me sit?" He smiled happily.

"NO! BOY HAS COOTIES! GO 'WAY! You old and have grey hairs!" She imitated an old person's face, crinkling up her own.

Hiei's eyes were watering up. He was getting mad. It was a strange, new feeling that he had never felt before. Why were they so mean to him? What was so different about him? Then another behind him said, "Hi. I'm Keiko. Do you want to sit here? I'm sorry Ruby was mean." She smiled at him.

Hiei turned around and saw her, but he was too angry to be nice. "NO! YOU UGLY!" Hiei left the poor brown-haired girl in tears and sat down by a red-haired boy.

"What's your name?" The boy asked.

"Hiei."

"What?"

"HEEEEEEE-YAAY!" Hiei yelled at him.

"Oh. Hi HEEEEEEEE-YAAAY... mine's Shuichi Minamino, but you can call me—"

"FOXY!" A girl with delicate blonde hair shouted. "THERE YOU ARE! You so cute."

"AHHH!" He shouted, then whispered in Hiei's ear, "That's Lauren. She's scary."

Lauren leaned over at them. "Hi, Foxy. How're you?" She winked at him lovingly and patted him on the heads.

"I'm not foxy." Kurama pouted. _Since when did I become so stupid? Oh well... I have another five years until I'm recovered...might as well play along._

"Yes, you is," She replied.

"Go away," said Hiei. "You have cooties."

"NO I DON'T!"

"Yes, YOU DO!"

"DO NOT!"

"DO TOO!"  
"DO NOT!"  
The bus stopped. "IF I HEAR ANOTHER WORD OUT OF EITHER OF YOU, I'LL REPORT YOU TO MR. YOU KNOW WHO! NOW SHUT UP BEFORE YOU GET IN DEEP TROUBLE."

The rest of the ride to school was silent.

Hiei's teachers were nice to him, as far as he was concerned, but at lunch, they wouldn't let him eat because they said he had no money. Hiei found out that his friend, Shuichi, let him call him Kurama. Hiei didn't mind at all because Kurama shared his food with him.

A week passed, and the same events occurred. Hiei's bus driver would ride through puddles and splash him, so he'd get all muddy; then she would take his lunch money. Hiei would sit by Kurama, and they would talk. He would then go to school and learn half the day, eat Kurama's food, and then sleep during nap time, except Hiei didn't sleep. He was rather rebellious, but occasionally he would sleep.

That Monday morning, he had to chase after the bus for over a mile before the bus driver let him board it. After being all muddy and tired, he sat down to rest. He slept through morning class and finally it was lunchtime.

Finally the loud speaker sounded. "Attention, please. Today is the first Monday of October. Now kids, tell me what is Monday?"

"Friends day." The cafeteria of kids said in unison.

"Good. That's right. Friends Day. Children from Astute School for Younger Ones are coming over to become friends with all."

"Yay!" The kids all shouted.

"I'm glad you're excited. Please be on your best behavior! Thank you!"

"What's friends' day?" Hiei asked Kurama.

Before Kurama answered, Keiko shouted, "YAY! YUSUKE'S COMING!"

"Who's Yusuke?" Hiei asked.

"He's this boy who thinks he's all tough rough, but he really isn't. He's always getting into trouble with this stupid looking boy—what was his name? Oh yeah, Kazuma or something..."

"Oh." Hiei had stuffed a muffin into his mouth. Kurama burst out laughing. Hiei said something that sounded like "WHA THOU FONNY."

"Your face is so—round. HAHAHA!"

Hiei playfully punched Kurama, hitting him in his nose. Kurama rubbed his nose. Such a simple punch had hurt him so badly. Why?

Suddenly someone walked—no walked was not the right word—dashed (and did a flip) into the cafeteria. He has spiked black hair and an arrogant look on his face, as if he was looking for trouble. He held up two fingers and shouted, "I'm the GREAT URAMESHI!"

"Who's that?" Hiei asked with a disgusted look on his face.

"Yusuke, thinks he's all that, but he really isn't. It's too sad."

"Humph."

"UUUURAAAAAMEEEESHIIIII!" An orange-hair weirdo came running into the cafeteria.

"Now that's just sad," said Kurama.

Hiei stuck his tongue out. How pitiful was that orange-haired kid? Very pitiful. "That's just plain disgusting," said Hiei. The orange-haired kid kept blabbering. Hiei covered his tiny ears and said, "Make it stop before I—before I—"

"Um...Hiei...what can we do? We'll get in trouble. You're new and you probably don't want to get into any trouble."

"If—he comes back next October—and bothers me like this, I promise him, he'll die."

_Strange, Hiei's a lot different than he was this morning on the bus. Well I guess that's because he was sleeping the entire time... but still...he's acting all 'I'm going to kill you' and everything. Oh well, I mustn't get into other's businesses._

After the very long lunch Hiei went to nap time.

The weeks went on. Hiei would chase after his bus every week. He was soon quite a fast runner. They had a school mile run. They called it the Friendly Friendship Mile run. Kurama had not decided to participate. Hiei's parents had brought him there and were quite surprised with the result. He had a 6:13 mile time, which was really fast for a six-year-old. In fact, it was the overall high of the whole school. He had gotten a shiny medal and trophy, and Hiei was sure proud of it. People from all over wanted to shake his hand and get a picture with the speedy devil, a name that he had acquired from one of his fans.

It was time for the next Monday of Friends Day. Once again the black and orange-haired kids ran in. This time, Hiei was going to do something about it.

He took a biscuit from Kurama's tray and threw it at the orange-haired boy. The biscuit smacked him in the face causing everyone in the cafeteria to laugh.

"Who did that?" The silly boy screamed.

There was no reply. The Yusuke kid started laughing. "Ha-ha, you're a rotten egg! Ha-ha!"

The orange-haired boy was about to shout out when a chicken nugget him in the eye. He turned around but could not find the culprit. This happened multiple times until finally, he caught a flying grape and instantly saw Hiei.

"You!" He pointed angrily at Hiei. "I'm going to beat you up."

He walked up to Hiei and said, "The name's Kuwabara. I'll pray for you when—"

Hiei had punched the ridiculed Kuwabara. Kuwabara screamed in pain. Hiei smirked at him and stuck out his tongue. Hiei was about to punch Kuwabara to get him to shut up, but a strong pair of hands grabbed him. He turned around and saw that it was his Literature teacher.

"Hiei, you know better than to be hurting our friends at—argh!" Hiei bit her hands.

"Don't touch me."

"Why you—You're coming with me, young man."

"Hmph, that it, if you can catch me."

"What?" But Hiei had already started running. The teacher chased after him but slipped on the biscuit Hiei had thrown earlier.

Kuwabara ran after Hiei, shouting, "I'm gonna get you!"

Other teachers chased after Hiei as well, but none of them could match his speed.

Hiei exited the school buildings, running past many supermarkets. Finally, Hiei stopped. He was tired—but not from running—no, he was tired of the fools that chased after him.

The mob had run three miles chasing after him. They noticed that he had finally stopped. Hiei's Physical Education teacher walked up to him and said, "Son, you run fast."

Another teacher went to the P.E. teacher and said, "Gruetter! What are you talking about? This kid—monster has caused us so much trouble. You! Hi—" She noticed that there was in front of them a big, yellow school bus. Someone climbed out of it; she was a big, fat bus driver—the same one that Hiei despised so dearly.

"Well, well, well. The punk finally got caught doing something wrong. Hah. I'm told you outran the whole school. Pssh... Mr. Gruetter, make sure he gets the proper punishments."

Hiei knew what he had to do. He immediately kicked her in the shin and knocked her down, then he put her foot onto her obese belly.

"D—don't hurt me! Help! HELP!"

"Hmph." He did owe some to that atrocious bus driver. She had made him run those countess miles that made him so fast. She had given him his determination and will. He acted the way he did because of her. Hiei spat right next to her head. "You aren't worth my time." He continued running.

Then Hiei's mother came. He couldn't hurt her, after all she had done for him...

Hiei was relocated to an alternative school and stayed there for two and a half years before being relocated to another school, a boarding school, a school for misbehaving students.

That's when he met Ross. Unlike all the other instructors, Ross was understanding and actually saw something in Hiei. He was the only one who had shown him any kindness in so many years.

When Hiei began to attend that boarding school, he had long ago decided to be laconic. He despised the ones that he called 'normal people.' He couldn't stand them. He would listen to other's conversations for about a minute and he would be extremely annoyed. They sounded so—so insolent! He couldn't see how he could have been able to survive thirteen years of his life around such people?

One day after class, Ross asked to speak with Hiei. "There's something exceptionally unique about you." Hiei kept staring into Ross's gray eyes. "I want to see you after confinement. In my training temple. Be there at seven sharp."

Hiei did as Ross asked him and went to his training temple. When he entered, he saw a meditating Ross. Hiei stood there for a five minutes staring at the man. He was old but not fragile.

Suddenly Ross's eyes popped open. "You were early. I believe I told you to come at seven sharp. You came at six fifty-five."

Hiei didn't know what to say. The man was right, after all. "I don't know why I would even come in the first place. You should be glad I came."

"But you did."

"What do you want, old man?"

"I challenge you. You may use any force."

"Hn. You should save your last walks for later."

"Quit the talking. Are you fighting or not?"

Hiei threw off his jacket. "Prepare to die." Die? Was that the right word? Did he really hate people that much?

The man chuckled at that. "I will if I need to."

Hiei charged at Ross, but before he knew it, Ross had his arms locked tightly behind his back.

After that day, Ross taught Hiei the art of fighting, and day by day Hiei improved. Now not only was he fast, he was able to fight. Not only was Ross a teacher to Hiei, but he was also like a father to Hiei.

One day after confinement (also called detention), Ross consulted Hiei.

"I'm afraid I have to go," Ross told him.

"What?"

"They don't want me to stay. A student told the headmaster that I was a bad teacher, so they're firing me."

"They can't do that!" Hiei shouted.

"Calm down, Hiei. I'm an old man now, over ninety years of wisdom has been through my body. I would have retired anyways. Son, anyways, let me show you my treasure. I believe you are ready for me to entrust it to you." Ross opened a chest and took out a sword. It was a katana.

"This katana has been in my family for hundreds of generations. Now I'm giving it to you. I hope you take care of it."

"You can't let them do this to you!" Hiei said angrily.

"Enough. I will do what's right. Now take the sword. Hiei, please."

"R—ross...I...am gratified."

"Hiei, talk normally."

Hiei accepted the sword and said, "Thanks."

"Hiei."

"Yes?"

"Hiei."

"Yes?"

"Please listen to my last request. Don't do anything rash. You have a good life ahead of you; don't waste it. Be strong."

"Yes, Master Ross, I will. I promise." Hiei hung his head and left.

Hiei returned to his dormitory and secretly shed a few tears. After that, there was no more time to cry. He promised himself that he would never cry again.

**End of Flashback**

Hiei reminisced happy old times of his younger identity. Now Ross was dead. He was expelled from his school for violent acts. His foster parents had disowned him. What could he do? He refused to attend that mental institute...that place where they told him he belonged. He had to do something. But what? He finally decided that he was going to live on his own.

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**Any first thoughts? Please review, so I'll know if I should keep writing this fic. Thanks!**


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